Gyeongin Ara Waterway

The Gyeongin Ara Waterway is a canal dug across the land from near Haengju Bridge on the lower Han River to the Yellow Sea at Incheon. It is 18 km long and 80 m wide. It was built to control floods and carry ships, but the cycle paths and walkways along its banks have turned it into a place where people from the Seoul area ride out to watch the sun set over the west coast. The highlights are the observation deck and man-made waterfall in the gorge cut through Gyeyangsan, and Jeongseojin at the western end.

An 800-year-old plan

The idea of linking Seoul to the Yellow Sea by water is very old. During the Goryeo dynasty the military ruler Choe U tried to dig a canal near here but was stopped by hard bedrock, and in the Joseon period Kim Al-lo tried again, also without success.

What revived the idea in modern times was flooding. After the Gulpocheon area was badly flooded in July 1987, a floodway to drain water into the Yellow Sea was planned, and this grew into the Gyeongin Canal project. After years of disputes over cost and environmental damage, with work stopping and restarting, construction began in 2009 and the waterway officially opened on 25 May 2012. Ara is an old Korean word for the sea.

What to see along the canal

• Ara Maru Observatory: a circular viewing deck at the highest point of the waterway, where the canal slices through the foot of Gyeyangsan. Parts of the floor are glass, so you look straight down onto the water.
• Ara Waterfall: a man-made waterfall right beside the deck, built into the rock of the gorge. It runs only at set times.
• Riverside cycle path: it joins the Han River cycle network, so many riders come out from Yeouido or Magok in Seoul. The canal's western end is also the starting point of the national cross-country cycle route from Incheon to Busan.
• Jeongseojin: the western end, where the canal meets the sea. The name, "due west", pairs it with Jeongdongjin on the east coast and refers to its position due west of Gwanghwamun in Seoul. Many people come here at dusk to watch the sun sink beyond the mudflats.

Seasons and timing

There is little shade on the embankments. Spring and autumn are best for walking or cycling; in summer, come early in the morning or towards sunset. In autumn the gorge section turns red and gold with Gyeyangsan's foliage, while winter brings a sharp wind. Sunsets are biggest at Jeongseojin, but watching the sun go down at the end of the canal from Ara Maru is also rewarding.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: Gyeyang Station (AREX and Incheon Line 1) and Geomam Station (AREX and Incheon Line 2) both sit right next to the canal. The gorge and Ara Maru are closer to Gyeyang.
• Suggested route: with a bike, ride west from Gyeyang Station to Jeongseojin for the sunset, a good half-day trip. On foot, the observatory and waterfall area alone takes 1–2 hours.
• Observatory: entry to Ara Maru is free; bicycles and scooters are not allowed inside. The glass floor can be slippery, so wear shoes with good grip.
• Check before you go: waterfall times and events are posted on K-water's Gyeongin Ara Waterway website.